Oscar Larrauri

The prematurely grey haired Oscar "Poppy" Larrauri was 33 years old by the time he made his Formula 1 debut. A graduate of Sud-Am Formula 3, it was in the European equivalent that he made his name.

European Formula 3 Champion

His Scuderia Torino Corse March 813-Toyota won at the Nürburgring and finished second at Monaco in 1981 before Larrauri’s finest season in single-seaters a year later. He drove Paolo Pavanello’s Euroracing 101-Alfa Romeo in 1982 with Emanuele Pirro as his team-mate. They dominated proceedings with the Argentinian clinching the title following seven victories.

Sports cars and Formula 1 with Brun

His planned Formula 2 season with a works Minardi M283-BMW lasted just four disappointing rounds so Larrauri concentrated on sports cars instead. He joined Brun Motorsport in 1984 and developed into a fast and consistent endurance racer with the Swiss team’s Porsche 956. Brun ran the newer 962 chassis in 1986 and with Jesús Pareja as his regular co-driver, Larrauri finished second at Le Mans (Joël Gouhier also driving in that event) and won at Jerez.

Brun and Pavanello joined forces to form EuroBrun for the 1988 F1 World Championship. Larrauri was the obvious choice as a driver but the underfinanced and uncompetitive concern lasted less than two seasons by which time Larrauri had started seven Grands Prix but failed to qualify for another 14.

He continued his sports car career with Brun until 1991 and later raced in GTs. Larrauri then forged a successful touring car career in South America from 1996. He won the championship on three occasions before retiring from racing to enter politics.